 By Chelsea Bray- Elle A. Design Volunteering is a great way to help your community. It is also a great way to build skills, meet new friends, and give back. Whether you are in school or retired, we can help you find a volunteer opportunity that is a perfect fit for you, right here in Champaign County.  LifeCare Alliance for Meals on Wheel The delivery company for Meals on Wheels, LifeCare Alliance, is looking for volunteer delivery drivers in Logan and Champaign counties. Volunteers may sign up for a route one day a month, one day a week or as often as they would like to in-between. You can make a huge impact on those receiving meals, for many clients the Meals-on-Wheel delivery driver is the only person they encounter that day. Be the light in their day and volunteer now! Learn more by calling 614-444-MEAL or email volunteer@lifecareallaince.org  Cedar Bog Nature Preserve If you love nature and want to find a volunteer opportunity locally, look no further than Cedar Bog. Individuals, families and organized groups are all welcome. There is always a lot to be done at the Bog, here are some of the ways you can volunteer your time.
You can learn more by calling 937-484-3744 to schedule a meeting.  United Way United Way offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities in Champaign County. There are many ongoing ways to help and there are also events available to sign up for. You can learn more about the opportunities available at uwccmc.galaxydigital.com/need/  Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity’s mission is to eliminate substandard housing. They build and repair homes to make good living conditions for all. Our local Habitat for Humanity group completed their first home in 2007. In total they have built eight homes in Urbana, two in Saint Paris, and one in Mechanicsburg. If you want to be part of this amazing organization and volunteer for a Saturday build, you can request more info at www.hfhcco.org/volunteer or by contacting ReStore in Urbana at 937-653-2981.  The YMCA The goal of the Champaign County Family YMCA is to build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. Some of their volunteer opportunities include; welcoming guests, rocking babies, reading and playing with preschoolers, coaching youth sports teams, after school homework helpers, and special events! You can visit their website at www.champaignfamilyymca.org/cms-view-page.php?page=volunteering to fill out a volunteer application.  Mercy Health
There are so many volunteer opportunities at Mercy Health. Here is a list of some of the potential volunteer opportunities.
Each facility will have their own needs, so it is best to call 937-653-5231 to inquire about setting up a time to meet.
Ohio’s Mad River is a popular brown trout fishery with the river being stocked yearly with over 12,000 brown trout by the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s fish hatcheries. In Champaign County, this river flows through the county with multiple access points, including a newly created, state owned access point near the intersection of State Route 296 and State Route 29, just north of Urbana. In addition to fishing and fly fishing, the Mad River is one of Ohio’s great places to kayak and canoe. Birch Bark Canoe Livery provides rentals of canoes and kayaks for paddlers who want to enjoy the cool and clear waters of the Mad River. In most places within the river, the water is only 2-3 feet deep with the river bottom visible to paddlers, and the gentle current of the river allows for a leisurely pace. For the camping enthusiast, Champaign County is home to Kiser Lake State Park and Rittenhouse Resort which both offer camping sites. Campsite reservations are required for Kiser Lake State Park and can be placed by calling (866) OHIOPARKS or by reserving online. Kiser Lake State Park features a 396-acre lake and is a popular destination for camping, swimming, non-motorized boating, picnicking, hiking, and fishing. Rittenhouse Resort is a privately owned, 40-acre campground that is open May through October and features a swimming lake and fishing pond. The Simon Kenton Trail bike trail extends through Champaign County and connects to the larger Miami Valley trail system which features the nation’s largest paved trail network of over 340 miles of trail. In total, the Simon Kenton Trail is a 35-mile trail adventure from Springfield, through Urbana, and up to Bellefontaine. Within Champaign County, parking and access to the trail is available at County Line Road, at Woodburn Road, at State Route 55, and at the restored Urbana Depot. In addition to public parking, the restored depot on Miami Street in Urbana features public restrooms and a popular coffeehouse. For the nature lover, Champaign County is home to three, stated owned nature preserves, including Cedar Bog, Davey Woods, and Siegenthaler-Kaestner Esker. Cedar Bog Nature Preserve is located just south of Urbana and is considered by many to be Ohio’s premier natural area. The site is home to many rare plants and animals and it is a National Natural Landmark, one of only twenty-five such sites in the State of Ohio. A boardwalk and nature center are also located on site. Davey Woods State Nature Preserve is a 103-acre mature forest woodland featuring tulip trees, sugar maples, and oak. This site is a great place for hiking or fall color viewing. Siegenthaler-Kaestner Esker State Nature Preserve is a 37-acre preserve that features glacial landforms. More evidence of glaciers can be found at the county’s caves that are open to the public. Cave Adventures is home to an extraordinarily breathtaking cave where guests descend 33 feet underground. Each guest is fitted with their own helmet and headlamps to guide the way in this unique adventure, to be explored in the most primitive sense. Crawl, climb and walk as you discover splendid stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, columns, flow stones, curtains and more! The ancient cavern boasts a “red room” that will astound all visitors. No trip to Champaign County is complete without visiting Ohio's largest and most beautiful cavern! Ohio Caverns is an all-weather attraction that is open all year. Each tour is guided and is a comfortable walk through the cavern. Each tour takes approximately one hour where the temperature remains a constant 54 degrees throughout the year. The tours are educational and provide the public with an opportunity to see the wonderful world of underground beauty. Lastly, Champaign County is a destination for both disc golfers and traditional golfers alike. The Hilltop Disc Golf Course at Melvin Miller Park in Urbana is free and offers nine open holes and nine wooded holes with varying terrain. In addition, Melvin Miller Park also offers an additional nine disc golf course that is located on flat terrain. Beyond disc golf, Champaign County is home to the Urbana Country Club, Lakeland Golf Club, and Woodland Golf Club. For outdoor adventurers planning an overnight trip, the Cobblestone Hotel-Urbana is offering special rates for those participating in the Explore the Outdoors Trail. Call the hotel directly and ask for the FFT rate. To learn more about the unique destinations and attractions in Urbana and Champaign County, follow the Champaign County Visitors Bureau on Facebook and Instagram or check us out on the web at www.visitchampaignohio.com. Submitted by Champaign County Visitors Bureau
The building capacity will be greatly reduced during this time. Extra staff will be available to help direct visitors. If you see a group in the building, please wait outside until they leave the building. Please help us by following all directions on signs on the doors and around the building. Please follow all social distancing guidelines while in the Nature Center and Preserve. Visitors are encouraged to wear a face covering.
Credit card use is preferred for admission fees at this time. The gift shop will be open to ADULTS ONLY. Please help by keeping children out of the gift shop. Inventory will be somewhat reduced at this time. The boardwalk will remain accessible Wednesday - Sunday from 9:00am - 5:00pm. Please remember, restrooms will not be available except when the Nature Center is open.
What is a virtual 5K?
A virtual 5K is much more simple than your usual 5K race. Just go out and complete a 5K (3.1 Miles) Is there a Race for the kids? YES!! 1.5 Mile Run..... same rules apply. Where Can I Participate and How? Anytime, Anyway, Anywhere. No travel, no early starts, and no jostling at the starting line, once you complete log back into the google form and update your finishing time. Do I Get Race Bling? The Male/Female race winners will receive an award... this will be the two top times. We will need proof - will have to be a Garmin, map my run, or a running app that shows mileage. All participants get a LR Lockdown Virtual 5K momento, but once again we need proof that you completed!!!!! SEND US YOUR PHOTOS! Upon completing your 5K, then share it with us longroadcrossfit@gmail.com this will make sure we don’t miss anyone’s awesomeness. But as always ...... Snap a selfie and show us some love @longroadcrossfit on Facebook and Instagram #LRlockdownvirtual5k #Longroadcrossfit Click here to register today!
2. Start Cooking Maybe your tween needs to work on their cooking skills, or you have a teen that enjoys new receipes. Not only are they learning, it's a great family activity. Try some new foods together! Looking for a place to start? Here's a list of go-to recipes for teens. 3. Educate your Alexa Did you know you can add fun apps to your Alexa to keep your family entertained? Everything from games, challenges and more! Check out a complete list for kids & teens here! 4. Build It Gather your Legos, blocks and building tools and create a building challenge! Work together or challenge a family member. You'll be amazed at what you can create. 5. Spread Kindness Social isolation can be difficult for everyone. Help spread some cheer. Create cards and artwork and mail them to your local nursing homes. Or use your social media to your advantage and create funny videos to share with family & friends. 6. Movie Marathons Set up an indoor movie theater complete with popcorn, candy, blankets and comfy clothes. Whether you choose a classic like Star Wars or Harry Potter or maybe a Marvel series, it's a great way to relax and enjoy time together 7. Time to Organize Remember all those things you said you'd get around to doing when you had time and energy? Here it is! Struggling to get your teen to keep their closet organized? Here is a list to get you started. 8. Documentary Time Streaming services are filled with documentaries on a variety of topics. Educational and informative. Here is a list of some of the best documentaries and you can search by age group! 9. Old School Scavenger Hunt Okay, we get it, your kids may not be okay with having to use pen and paper to create something. So we have a plan, use the app Goose Chase, to create and run a hunt online! 10. Family Game Night Dust off those old games and enjoy a family game night. Monopoly, Trouble or Candyland! There's something for everyone! Whatever you do, remember you're doing it together as a family. Enjoy!
|
Categories
All
Archives
September 2020
|
RSS Feed
